Weekend Wine: J. Lohr’s Riverstone Chardonnay

J. Lohr's Riverstone Chardonnay is one of the genuine touchstones of California Chardonnay. Over 50 years ago, owner Jerry Lohr built a vineyard in California’s Central Coast area of Arroyo Seco in the Monterey Valley.

I discovered this wine in the mid-1990s. When I started writing for The Austin Chronicle in 1999, one of my first orders of business was to seek out the J. Lohr honcho Jeff Meier and ask him what created the distinctive taste in his wine. In a laconic Western way, he just said, “Our barrels.”

Not trusting such a short answer, I persisted, even visiting the vineyards and winery. The Arroyo Seco area is dry, like you would expect, but it is also sunny, windy, and quite cool. High elevations and proximity to the Pacific Ocean are added benefits. That combination of dryness, cool temps, and abundant sunshine makes for ideal Chardonnay growing conditions.

In fact, during that trip, I found dozens of wineries making some of America’s finest Chardonnays. All had something to recommend them and I especially loved Chalone and Talbott. The unifying characteristics were deep, rich flavors with a nice combination of acidity and green apple ripeness. J. Lohr’s version added a nice level of oakiness. By that, I mean, not much. Despite the odds, J. Lohr has created this exceptional wine, year after year, for at least three decades.

But what makes J. Lohr’s Riverstone Chardonnay such a great example is its price. I checked prices at Twin Liquors, H-E-B, Total Wine, and Spec’s. The high price was at Total Wines at $11.99 and the low price was Spec’s at $9.97. So two useful items: This wine is available almost everywhere, and no matter where you go, it should be less than $12!